Concern
We were interested in exploring how the addition of dynamic audio and voice enabled technology for asynchronous discussion forums could increase student engagement, accessibility and inclusivity.
Why this Concern?
Since we have started the MALAT program we have been inundated with discussion forum messages and we thought it would be great if we could review the discussions by listening to them while driving our cars, working out, or just relaxing instead of having to sit by the computer or phone and read through them all.
Team Dynamics
We were a team that was respectful of each others ideas and the dispersion of the work. Our team was balanced with 1 analyzer, 2 promoters and 1 controller (Tony Alessandra's Community Style Inventory).
Cultures of Inquiry Decision
We approached it from the action, hermeneutics and quantitative cultural inquiries research models. It seemed to fit. So how were we able to decide on the different cultures of inquiry?
We looked at the concern and saw which inquiry worked best for our issue.
Presentation
We integrated a polling question using technology to set the stage about our concern. Poll Everywhere is how we facilitated the polling question. It was very easy to set up and use. We presented with easy transitions, supporting each other and answering questions in the debrief.
My Take Away
The more I read and discuss action research, the more I am drawn to it. This may be the direction I will take for my research project. It's a strong contender so far. I really like the fact that action research, “builds a learning capacity into the system” (Bentz & Shapiro, 1998, p. 129) and that it supports, "empowerment through knowledge and change" (Bentz & Shapiro, 1998, p. 127). How great is that!
I will keep you posted...literally.
Bentz, V., & Shapiro, J.J. (1998). Mindful Inquiry in Social Research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc.